Transporters’ overcharging goes unchecked

ISLAMABAD – Terming the public transport facilities in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi worst in the country, commuters have decried overloading, overcharging, non-completion of routes, and misbehaviour by transporters . Thousands of the commuters — students, employees of private and government employees, traders, particularly female commuters — on daily basis travel between twin cities to reach their destinations. Around 2,500 vans and mini buses are plying between twin cities and adjacent areas.Commuters talking to INP complained that transporters despite revised fare list have been overcharging to mint money on the pretext of running their vehicles on petrol, adding that overloading, misbehaviour and exchange of harsh words have become a routine. Muhammad Shahid, a private organisation employee, said that transporters charge Rs3-6 extra but according to the fare list Rs2 was maximum increase in the fare for the public transport. “When we argue about overcharging , they show us fare list which is very complicated for a common man to understand,” he added.Shazia Iqbal, resident of sector G-9 Sector, lamented that male commuters were accommodated on the seats specified for females owing to which they had to wait for hours at public transport stops.On the other hand, concerned authorities have failed to improve and provide decent public transport facility to commuters. Moreover, traffic police and RTA have failed to curb overcharging and overloading in order to improve transport facility and redress the grievances of masses.